brain stretches

I'm back from a two day trip up to Shambhala Mountain Center. I head up there about a dozen times a year for various work-related adventures. This time, I was up there getting things rolling for the one month retreat our 2nd year MA students participate in. It is really amazing that their training to be psychotherapists includes yearly retreat. I feel so lucky to be part of their journey, and felt sad to leave after everyone was checked in. I spent the last 2 days in meetings, talking to SMC staff about our programming needs, talking to our hired retreat staff about our students and our student needs and boundaries and the container for the retreat. There was schlepping, too--setting up the meditation hall, unloading supplies, etc.

When I arrived on Sunday, it was beautiful and sunny, and warm enough to be wearing a T-shirt and jeans. An hour after I arrived, I needed my heavy sweatshirt, later in the evening, it was snowing. I awoke today to 6 inches of snow on the ground--much more than the predicted 1 inch! I'm amazed, but my little Prius trooped on through the snowy dirt road to get me from the lodge where I was staying to the part of the campus where the retreat is being held. Yay for my Prius!

And I really need a day off. I've worked the last 3 weekends in a row, and I'm heading out of town this coming weekend to witness my Doug & Susie get married. I'm going to take Friday off. I've got a haircut scheduled for the morning followed by lunch with my darling Ugur :) Let's see if I really have a day 'off'.

But brain stretches, oh yes, brain stretches. I mentioned a few days ago that I rented 2 movies on Friday. I watched one on Saturday, and the other one came with me. I got done working at 9:30pm, and had a solo room in one of the lodges. I love staying in the lodges at SMC...it is like staying in a hotel, but not. The rooms are comfortable and warm and cozy, and there's no TV, no phone, no internet. I popped my movie in my computer and got all snuggly under the covers. The movie began, and I realized that my Hindi-language movie only had subtitle options in French and Dutch. Well, once upon a time, I knew French fairly well, so I gave it a go. I was pleased to discover that my ability to read and understand French was not as bad as I was expecting, since it has been 10+ years since I've actively used that language. Watching a Hindi movie with French subtitles...maybe that is pilates for the brain? It sure got me tired in a hurry, and I didn't finish the movie. I'll watch some more tonight, and surely won't finish, since the movie is likely 3 hours long. Brain pilates is hard. :)